Whether you want a high-tech gadget or an essential enterprise tool, we've got the latest and greatest PDAs covered in our Australian review.
In the last twelve months the humble PDA has undergone something of a revolution. Initially, many saw PDAs as cool tech gadgets with little practical use. Then, as momentum began to gather, the ability for PDAs to act as digital personal information managers (PIMs) became more apparent, and they weren't just tech toys any more, with measurable benefits for businesses and consumers alike.
More recently, however, the line between PDAs, phones and even laptops has become even more blurry. The recent run of Pocket PC-powered PDAs with multimedia capabilities, PDA-centric processors at previously unheard-of speeds and wireless connectivity have raised the bar for a plain PDA. At the same time, Palm hasn't sat back and let Microsoft just take over; its relaunched line of PDAs comprises the mid to high level Tungsten devices, while the budget space belongs to the Zire brand.
Palm's launch of the original Zire can be seen as something of a watershed for PDAs; it'll probably be the last successful monochrome PDA, but more importantly, if you just want a vanilla PIM-style PDA, there are very few reasons not to simply pick up the Zire; while it's a touch more expensive locally than in the States, it's still cheaper than the Pocket PC competition and does everything you'd need out of a very simple PIM.
Palm OS or Pocket PC?
While the choice between Palm OS and Pocket PC often comes down to a personal flavour choice, there are differences between the two operating systems that anyone pondering a PDA purchase should consider.
Palm is exceptionally keen to talk up the storage efficiency and battery life of their particular OS, something that is a legacy of their efficient code design; it wasn't that long ago that a high-end Palm PDA would sport a lowly 33MHz processor, and 8MB of memory -- if you were lucky. This makes most Palms a good consideration for anyone who's likely to be away from a charging solution for lengthy periods of time, and anyone needing to cram a large quantity of data into a small space, although that's something that either type of PDA can overcome with the addition of storage cards. Palm is also natively cross-platform compatible, whereas you may need to jump through several hoops to get a Pocket PC device to talk to a Mac.
Microsoft's Pocket PC didn't have the best start in life as Windows CE, but like many Microsoft products, by the time you get to the second or third iteration, things start to actually work. Pocket PC 2003, recently renamed the rather unwieldy Windows Mobile 2003 Software for Pocket PC; we suspect the pre-release title of Pocket PC 2003 will stick to it. Pocket PC excels at higher-end tasks and has the advantage of native compatibility with MS Office applications; stripped down versions of Word and Excel are part of the core Pocket PC operating system. Wireless has also been a reality in the Pocket PC world for much longer, and as such the wireless applications available to Pocket PC users are nicely mature.
The recent introduction of Pocket PC 2003 also opens up another can of worms for Pocket PC owners, as Microsoft's position on upgrades is that it's technically possible via the flash ROM on most PDAs, but it's up to the individual OEMs as to what model they want to take. It's worth checking with your PDA provider if they'll be charging for the upgrade or supplying it for free, and what your warranty position would be if something went wrong whilst upgrading.
Consumer Considerations
At the consumer end, obviously price plays a very major part in your selection of a PDA. Arguably more important than price, however, is what you plan to do with a PDA. If you just want a small digital PIM, then the very simple (and somewhat limited) Palm Zire would do you just fine; anything else is going to be overkill if you just need to remember a few contact details. Beyond that, though, it's a matter of weighing up features against price. All of the PDAs we've looked at in the entry level space range between AU$450-$650, but what you'll get for your money at one end of the scale doesn't always match up to the other end.
Enterprise considerations
|
PDAs
Introduction 1. Dell Axim X5 2. HP iPAQ h1910 3. HP iPAQ h5450 4. Palm Tungsten C 5. Palm Zire 71 6. Sony CLIE PEG-SJ22 7. Sony CLIE PEG-TG50 8. Toshiba e350 9. Toshiba e750 Editor's choice |
We asked PDA vendors to supply us with two models for review. Firstly, we wanted an entry-level model, suitable for some upgrading but with a price point that's realistic rather than aspirational. At the other end of the scale, we wanted to see what the biggest and best products were in the market today. At this end of the scale you should at least expect integrated wireless, plenty of memory and a solid range of add-on storage choices.
Dell Axim X5
The Axim sits in an unusual spot in-between the entry-level and high-end models.
HP iPAQ Pocket PC h1910
The h1910 can be summed up in one word: small.
HP iPAQ Pocket PC h5450
If you can think of a type of mobile technology, chances are it's been bolted onto the h5450.
Palm Tungsten C
The Tungsten C offers WiFi at an exceptionally good price.
Palm Zire 71
The Zire 71's integrated camera makes it an interesting option.
Sony CLIE PEG-SJ22G
If price is your only consideration, the SJ22G may be for you.
Sony CLIE PEG-TG50
The TG50 offers an integrated keyboard and Bluetooth connectivity.
Toshiba Pocket PC e350
The e350 is thin, light and comes with Pocket PC 2003.
Toshiba Pocket PC e750
The e750 offers scads of storage space, WiFi and Pocket PC 2003.
2%
4%
I am interested only in limited features in a PDA like the Phonebook, Birthday or Anniversary date storages etc. etc.
So which pDA do you recommend me to have that should have some high Battery backup and long-life warranty?